I Talk Exactly About That Poem

Written/Narrated By Bangladesh-American Poet Hassanal Abdullah

1.

I am not going to tempt you in a remunerated life—you could hover your wish over any spectrum that is being granted by tempestuous time. And if you do not trust me, then gaze into my eyes with full consent, and dig a huge pond with all of your savings where you can swim twice a day, on a regular basis, like a swan. I too am capable of swimming exactly like you, and I know it well, you turn blind without poetry. I talk exactly about that poem.

2.

Poetry emancipated you. It was mainly the spirit of poetry that strengthened you from behind and let you fire up together standing against shear darkness and deafening falsehood. In fact, rising above all odds, poetry empowered you and made you bold. So after expressing all through poetry, that is what they wanted to say, the religious books finally conspired to ban poetry. All the falsehoods of religion, and the prophet’s hypocrisy were chased only by poetry. I talk exactly about that poem.

3.

A group of people, when they got greedy, when they managed to understand through upheaval and social injustice that it’s evident to get the naked, poor, and ignorant into their path by clutching them in the vicious nets of fear and temptation. Religion was formed right at that moment; and it started its uncontrolled torture—different for different clans. It was told, you should immediately fear the invisible power that brandishes the claws like a tiger crouching with a vampire’s tongue. Otherwise, you will be burnt in the ferocious fire forever. Not a single cell of your body, from your head to toenail, would be able to escape the brutal hands of the creator. Therefore, they were forced bowed down in groups, sect by sect, clustered and calmed like honeybees. Lining them up side by side, it was completely evasive to force them taking the oath in defective rhythms and meters. Therefore, I talk exactly about that poem. 

Translated from the Bengali by the Poet